It’s not every day you return to the scene of the crime. Actually, make that the scene of two crimes. After two years out of town, today I returned to my childhood neighbourhood shopping centre. As a teenager, I used to shoplift magazines from the newsagent (no, not porn. Football magazines) and I got caught one day, too. And not far away are the playing fields where I sprayed graffiti on the public toilet block. It was dark and I couldn’t see and I ended up with more paint on my face than the wall. But today, I went to see how the face of my beloved shops had changed.
Despite not being a major hub of the city, the shops of Curtin, a leafy suburb of Canberra, Australia, have more than just the typical general store that most suburban shops in Canberra have. The Curtin shops have the atmosphere of a small village with a central courtyard and quite a variety of shops. However, on my visit, there were a few shops at the top of my list that I was keen to see.
First stop was the milk bar - the confection centre of my youth. Like so many shops here, the milk bar has been a family business for at least two generations and I used to overdose on the small bags of mixed lollies they sold for 50 cents. Today the mixed bags are gone but the fresh and flavoursome pizzas are still on offer.
The bakery is just across the way. Run by a Vietnamese family, they make the best meat pies I’ve ever eaten – thick, soft pastry and palatable beef. The only downside is having to wait for the pie to cool down. I’m usually eager to eat it straight away but my mouth would get burnt if I ate it too soon. I like to eat it with tomato sauce in keeping with the Australian tradition and to help it cool down quicker.
My other favourite snack can be bought at the take-away shop. They sell small roasted potatoes that are very moreish. I remember once upon a time they sold for 50 cents; but I was happy to see they’re still available and I can get my fix.
It always amazes me how for such an insignificant part of town there is quite a diverse range of services on offer. I noticed that a few new businesses have opened up since I last visited: a Nepalese restaurant, an art school and a small café. Yet many of the old favourites are still here: the hairdresser, the book store, the florist, the supermarket, the betting shop and the Statesman Hotel pub - nicknamed ‘the international airport’ by its patrons due to the large electronic board on the wall with all the horse racing results much like the boards at an airport with all the flight details.
I sat in the shade in the courtyard biting on a roasted potato watching the other shoppers go by. The only crime here today is that the price for a roasted potato has gone up to $1. Not to worry; I went back to the take-away and bought two more.
